The real Mackay Transport Bill is good news for both passengers and pedestrians
BY RENFREWSHIRE NORTH AND WEST MSP DEREK MACKAY
This week, I am pleased to highlight that the Transport Bill has now formally passed after I introduced the bill to parliament last year.
The bill brings forward radical measures with passengers and pedestrians at the heart of the proposals and I know that many of the measures included in the Bill could be of great benefit to my constituents across Renfrewshire North and West.
One of the flagship measures of the bill aims to improve various different aspects of our local bus services.
Council’s and Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) will now be given a new level of flexibility in an effort to allow them to improve bus services through partnership working, local franchising, or running their own buses in certain circumstances.
Many people in Renfrewshire rely on their local bus services and over the past few years, many residents have raised their concerns with me over Renfrewshire-wide service cuts, price increases and poor availability.
I am confident that with these new powers, councils will have more power to work with companies to better respond to local needs or, where possible, run the services themselves.
The Scottish Government currently spend over £250 million a year to support our bus industry, whether that is through working with operators to keep fares at affordable levels or providing free bus travel to older and disabled passengers.
Last year, the SNP announced that there will be no change to the age of eligibility and that the free bus travel scheme will extend to include carers of under fives with disabilities.
Coupled with the further commitments set out in the bill to improve bus services, shows just how serious we are about reversing the decline in bus use and making buses a more attractive mode of transport for people.
Something that many constituents have raised with me in the past, is the nuisance of pavement parking and I am pleased that we have now taken steps to legislate against this practice.
The bill contains a national ban on double-parking and parking on pavements, granting councils the powers to enforce this important change. Inconsiderate and obstructive parking jeopardises the safety of pedestrians, especially the elderly, the disabled and those with prams.
Obviously, there are some streets and areas where there is no option but to park on the pavement and this has been taken into account by giving council’s the ability to make exemptions for certain areas but this will come with a strict criteria.
Our roads and pavements should be accessible for all and it is only right that if we are to encourage residents to walk and make use of active travel, that they have a safe environment to do so.
Also included in the bill is support for standardising smart ticketing technology with a move towards Scotlandwide smart ticketing across all modes of transport and the creation and enforcement of low emission zones.
These actions will undoubtedly improve life for pedestrians, cyclists, and users of public transport across Renfrewshire.
Earlier this year, the First Minister declared a climate emergency in Scotland and if we are serious about reaching the targets set out in the recently published Climate Bill, drastic action is required to encourage active travel and the use of public transport
The Transport Bill also gives a huge degree of autonomy to local council’s allowing them to make the decisions that are relevant to their own areas, rather than a top down nation-wide approach from the government so I look forward to seeing the benefits that come with that across Renfrewshire, and the whole of Scotland.